SK Foundation: Alice in Dreamland

Through the darkest night, light shines from the city, as Zane walks casually from his last shift, due to exhaustion as it was pretty hectic to experience every day like this.

Nothing can beat a finished job and all that's left to do is go home.

As he wondered how the world would be if he decided to have a real job, have a family, especially a caring wife, now it would be peaceful and blissful, but here in reality it wouldn't be as easy as he would say.

While during middle school, thinking about the past, he didn't have many friends, to begin with so he had no one to hang out with in the first place.

But who cares if he had friends or not what's important is that he is living to the fullest.

He enjoys the quiet scenery waiting at the train station, peeking at the side of the railway sees a glowing light that the train is close by, wind flutters at his cheeks of Zane, and he enters.

His classmates on social media had a successful life as a doctor, bartender, or even a hairdresser, for the reason to spark some colors in their life, to give meaning to each of their time enjoying what they have.

And they did, they have a meaningful life.

But as for Zane, he couldn't care less about his job, if it puts money on the table that's all that matters to him.

But a small amount of jealousy was fogging Zane's mind.

As sitting and waiting for the train to stop at Shibuya station to Shinjuku, he ponders about his family, his parents, and his siblings.

It wasn't like a happy family but it was for the better to show their true colors rather than faking it.

He remembers the argument they did and so his siblings followed by showing how they really feel when comparing a perfect family to them as worrying about Zane's condition.

And so his parents left their home but continue to support them if necessary.

After so many years, they had their own lives now and all that's left was him alone, his father once sent a letter that he can live at their old home instead of renting, he can have rent for the guest since their house was huge and to gain some extra cash.

At his parent's expense, they never go home, his siblings have their own homes, and he is graduated from college.

Leaving only the scars of the past to be burdened as a memory to remember by.

As the doors were finally opened, figuring out what to do in his life, he just shrugs it off and moves on.

As his home is almost there, he goes to the nearby supermarket with his bag filled with other ingredients for breakfast and such, and cup noodles at the convenience store since it was midnight.

After that long walk, finally, he is almost home.

Suddenly, a ringtone sound was heard, someone just texted Zane. He checks the inbox and he sees an unknown sender with a mail that wrote,

"It's been a while, Zane. You probably don't remember me but we were classmates before in middle school. Can we meet up at the park tomorrow at 8 am?"

Luckily, he isn't busy for tomorrow also it's the weekend.

He went back home and cooks noodles, slurping all the warm noodles through his soft mouth, the satisfaction of eating something when you are hungry is surely blissful and delectable, and sleeps afterward due to the exhaustion from earlier.

A day later, he waits at the park for the unknown classmate he might know, somehow he was interested to know who he or she is.

Skies were blooming with clear clouds, kids riding their bicycles for fun, and especially going to school for the first time because of the pandemic, it's like getting hit with the magic of fantasy, it gratifies with sudden happiness and joyous cheer like you had no choice but to smile.

It assures everyone that it is okay to take the fall, they just need to stand with their heads high.

Leaving a text from the unknown classmate, it says that she or he is almost there.

Waiting for over 15 minutes late than the expected time, it took a while before he decides to leave but finally, she came.

A wild cheerful smile arrived at the sight of Zane, she has pink hair and yellow eyes glowing like a precious gem.

Arrived late from the agreed time, she apologizes,

"I'm very sorry if I'm late!"

"It's fine..." He familiarizes with that voice before, it is surely nostalgic to remember during their middle school, there was a popular girl who once greeted him with the same smile she had before.

"How are you by the way, Zane?"

Right, it was Alice Gray, she is from class 2-1, she was an exchange student before.

She was treated like a beacon for boys that wanted her attention and confessing to her and ended up in a rejection.

"You... Alice. So you are the one who texted me."

"Of course."

"How did you get my number?"

"It's a secret."

As she smugs away of what's the real problem.

"That's concerning. I need to know."

"Well, I got it from one of your high school friend."

"Who?"

"For now, it is a secret I can keep."

"Fine."

"Actually, I want to rent your place since I have no place to rest with.

Does your house open for rent?"

"Yes. I can give you a rent."

"How much is it?"

"100,000 yen per month. You get a free fare and a room."

"Great, I'll just bring my purse. Wait for a moment."

But for some reason, she didn't have her purse on her shoulders. It was gone missing for who knows when.

"Zane!"

As she almost cried that her purse went missing, Zane had no choice but to help since he had time.

Both of them went to the police station where the lost and found section is but utterly the one that handles it does not seem to find any purse.

"How can I pay my rent when I don't even have any money left?"

Zane left with a sigh as gently brushed Alice's head.

"Don't worry you can stay as you want as long as you behave and not cause any trouble. Up until then, we need to figure out a job for you to get some money off, and you can somehow pay the rent."

Alice was glad as giving Zane a warm smile from Alice, he blushed for a moment as to experience some sort of a charm from a girl like her to be in love with someone like him.

In the end, he ignores those desires and just acted on what's right.

After that, they walked throughout the neighborhood, and finally, they arrived at Zane's spacious house, entering what's inside, Alice was amazed at how neat and cleaned the place was, glistening from all around, it felt calm and relaxing to rest somewhere that is nostalgic and beautiful.

"I think it's the second time I've been here. But the place is so clean, tell me did you do all the maintenance here?"

"Yes, I am the caretaker of this place. I don't have the money to pay someone to clean so I do all the work."

"Amazing. So where do I sleep? At your room?"

"No! Here, you can sleep here."

"Okay fine hahaha."

While she embraces the bed in her room, later on, he gives her a tour of his house so she can familiarize herself and finally give her a job.

"So here is the backyard, this is where I take care of the exotic pets."

"Woah, there is a giraffe here. Is this supposed to be a personal zoo?"

"Well kind of, they actually belong to my little brother. He loves to keep animals as pets but at their school, they don't allow animals in their jurisdiction so they transported them here for safekeeping."

"I see."

"So I'm going to give you a job here at home. Here are the lists of them, just in case you get confused about their daily eating schedule."

Zane sends the information from Alice's phone that contains a list of different ways to accompany and how to feed all the pets in peace.

Alice was happy as just for offering a new place to sleep, but somehow Zane has no clue that all the signs that he needs to know that Alice is...

"Thank you very much! I'll work hard!"

"No need to yell. Well, it's just hard to take care of them when I work shifts late at night. I'll start your wage for over 30,000 yen per week."

"Alright then. So is it okay for me to do anything else for the day?"

"You can do anything you want as long as there is no trouble involved, I'm fine with it."

"Okay."

After all the details are explained to Alice, they both head out inside the house and go to their respective rooms."

"Well good night."

"Good night, Zane."

Sleeping on his soft pillows, he was able to have inner peace in his mind and finally dream. Somehow the nightmare starts and he is bare to face all of it alone and eventually forget about it during his wake.

He is now in the empty world where the sun doesn't shine, and mostly clouds covering the sky.

Most of the buildings have no sign of civilization, only sad and empty places, it's like everyone has left this world for a cause.

As it rains continuously outside, the rough surface of the floor rubs his feet off Zane, as he is watching the rain fall and feels the coldness of the weather and so he dreams of it over and over.

But today someone visits him, a glowing pink colored like the cherry blossoms with her yellow eyes appear behind and all of it goes black and then, he wondered who was that person behind him, he woke up.

He stares at the ceiling knowing that he will soon find out who it was.